Self-winding watch



United States Patent 2,988,869 SELF-WINDING WATCH Hans Kocher, Buren S/A, and Paul Marmier, La 'Chauxde-Fonds, Switzerland, assignors to Bur-en Watch Company S.A., Buren S/ A, Switzerland Filed Feb. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 794,901 Claims priority, application Switzerland Mar. 26, 1958 1 Claim. (Cl. 58-82) The present invention relates to a self-winding watch including a winding weight mounted at the free end of a spindle pivoted in the frame of the watch. According to the invention, the winding weight is rigidly fixed to a jaw a portion of which consists of a split ring, the hole of said ring being traversed without play by the outer free end of the spindle of the weight, said ring having a substantially radial arm on which bears a control member mounted on the winding weight, so that when said control member is actuated, the jaw is closed and strongly grips round the spindle, whereby the weight is angularly and axially rigidly secured to its spindle.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the invention. There is shown on the drawing only what is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the winding weight.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1, said view showing in addition the bearings of the spindle of the winding weight, which are rigidly fixed to the frame of the watch.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views along the lines III-III and IVIV of FIG. 1, respectively.

To the movement, not shown, of the watch are fixed the lower bridge 1 and the upper bridge 2 of the self-winding mechanism (FIG. 2). The lower bridge 1 carries a jewel 3 forming the lower bearing of the spindle 4 of the winding weight 5. A jewel 6 forming the upper bearing of the spindle 4 is driven into a sleeve 7 fixed to the upper bridge 2. The spindle 4, thus rotatably mounted in the frame of the watch, carries near its lower end a pinion 8 which is connected over a train of gears (not shown) to the ratchet wheel associated with the barrel of the main spring (not shown). The spindle 4 is maintained in axial direction by shoulders of the spindle 4 which bear on the jewels 3 and 6. The outer end 9 of the spindle 4 projects beyond the upper bearing 6, so that the weight is overhanging with respect to the spindle 4.

The Winding Weight 5 may be either a rotor capable of effecting complete revolutions, or a weight with a limited angular oscillation. It consists of a body of a sub stantially semi-cylindrical shape, and its thickness is relatively large with respect to its diameter. It has on its lower face a recess 10 receiving the sleeve 7. On its upper face it has also a recess 11 in which is partially accommodated a ring-shaped jaw 12 made integral with a hub 13. Two rivets 14 rigidly fix the ring 12 to the weight 5. The ring 12 is split as at 15 and has a substantially radial arm 16. The hole 17 of the ring 12 is traversed without play by the outer end 9 of the spindle 4, this outer end 9 being provided with grooves 18 extending parallel to the axis of the spindle 4. Opposite the split 15, the ring 12 has a notch 19 adapted to increase the elasticity of the jaw formed by the ring 12. In the transverse face of the weight 5, i.e. in the diametral face of the weight 5 perpendicular to the plane of the bridge 2,

is provided a recessed hole 20 into which is driven a tapped tube 21. Into the latter is screwed a screw 22 the head 23 of which is adapted to bear on a lateral projection 24 of the arm 16 of the ring 12.

In order to secure the winding weight 5 to its spindle 4, the weight 5 is first engaged on to the outer end 9 of the spindle 4 (position shown in FIG. 1), whereafter the screw 22 is driven in, so that the head 23 or" the screw 22 bears on the arm 16 and deforms it. The jaw formed by the ring 12 is therefore progressively closed and its hole 17 tends to have its diameter decreasd. Due to this fact, the outer end 9 of the spindle 4 is strongly gripped by the jaw and the walls of the hole 17 tend to somewhat penetrate into the grooves 18 of the spindle 4 to form a connection similar to a key and keyway between the ring 12 and the spindle end portion 9. The weight 5, therefore, is rigidly connected, as well angularly as axially, with its spindle 4.

It is worth noting that the head 23 of the screw 22 practically only bears on a line of the lateral projection 24 of the arm 16 situated near the axis of the screw 22, and not on a zone of a substantial length, which would result in lifting the jaw out of its plane when the screw 22 is actuated.

For separting the weight 5 from its spindle 4, it sufiices to loosen the screw 22. Under its own elasticity, the jaw 12 opens and the weight 5 can be separated without effort from the spindle 4.

The screw 22 might be replaced by another control member, for instance by an eccentric, in order to close the aw.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim is:

A self-winding watch comprising a frame, a spindle rotatably mounted in said frame and having a free end, a winding weight mounted at the free end of said spindle and having a transverse face, a split ring-shaped jaw rigidly fixed to said winding weight and snugly surrounding said spindle free end portion, the outer end of said spindle being provided with grooves extending parallel to the imaginary axis of said spindle, a headed control screw threaded into the transverse face of the winding weight, said jaw having a substantially radial arm with a lateral projection, the head of said screw bearing on said lateral projection of said substantially radial arm so that upon actuation of said control screw the jaw closes and strongly grips round the spindle and at least partially penetrates said grooves, whereby the winding weight is angularly and axially rigidly secured to said spindle, said lateral projection of said arm being so shaped as to materially reduce the tendency of the jaw from being lifted out of its plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 485,350 Morrow Nov. 1, 1892.

510,620 Smith Dec. 12, 1893 1,981,297 Aegler Nov. 20, 1934 2,465,471 Packer Mar. 29, 1949 2,596,197 Bayes May 13, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,435 Great Britain 1891 

